∞ Thirty-Seven ∞
Severus woke with Luna curled in his arms, her nude body pressed against his as her breaths puffed evenly across his bare chest. He smirked to himself and took a deep breath of her sweetly scented hair. This was his bliss, and after so many years of being denied happiness he grabbed it- or her- and held on as tightly as possible.
He kissed the crown of her head and sighed to himself, they needed to be up and preparing for the day, instead he was allowing them to lay about in bed far too late. It was the downside to having the petite blonde in his arms, he never wanted to let her go.
"It is time my sweet, for our day to begin." He pressed his lips to the shell of her ear as he spoke and she gave a soft moan. Her body shifted in his arms, the silk of her skin drawing across his and causing him to stiffen. A controlled breath and he pressed his lips to her ear once more. "Come now, love, we mustn't dally."
Silvery eyes fluttered open as she rolled to look into his face. A sleepy, soft smile spread across her lips and he pressed his own to them softly before pulling back from her.
"Too cold…" She groaned and tried to press her body closer to his. A genuine chuckle broke from his chest as he moved back further and finally managed to pry himself from the bed. She pouted but sat up, her lack of modesty compelling him with all its might to draw him back into the bed. He fought the urge to return to her as she sat up exposed to his hungry eyes, instead he closed them and took another several deep breaths in an attempt to stave off the return of his passions.
"Merlin girl, you will be the death of me," he grumbled more to himself than to her as he took long strides from the room and toward his shower.
He didn't realize he'd been followed until one small foot had poked its way into his shower followed by a petite body.
"Good morning," she grinned up at him as he turned to face her, water cascading down his bare back and splashing her from over his shoulders. "I'd much rather shower with you than alone."
"I'm afraid I'll not get any showering done at all should I allow you to stay," he grumbled, Luna gave a melodious laugh.
"Don't be silly," she pressed his shoulder to convince him to turn and he groaned his assent when her fingers worked from his neck up into his hair. Massaging his scalp with one hand and then the other he felt the suds and slickness of shampoo as she worked it through his long black locks. He felt his knees would buckle at her ministrations for a moment and glanced down to see she stood on the tips of her toes to reach the top of his head.
Instead of fighting her further he simply lowered himself to his knees and allowed the water to cascade over them both as she worked her slender little artists fingers through his hair. He sighed and lay his head back against her stomach when she'd finished.
She ran her hands down his shoulders to his chest and bent to lay a sweet kiss to the top of his head, breaking him from his haze. Severus resumed his standing position and turned to the witch, intent to return the favor.
Severus attributed the good mood of his day to the shower he'd shared with Luna and marveled at the way something so simple could change his mood so thoroughly. Of course, his students were none the wiser. He was still cold, stern, and took away house points at the drop of a quill.
It was a day that lacked the presence of his little helper and he found himself seeking her out across the great hall at lunch. When he didn't find her there he tried not to allow himself to grow concerned. He knew she often took her lunch elsewhere or passed on it all-together, likely there was a very good reason she wasn't there.
When she wasn't at dinner he felt the first tendrils of panic beginning to crawl their way up from his stomach into his chest. He worried for her, of course he did. She was his love, his companion, the one good thing he truly felt he had in the world and he would have done anything to keep her safe.
After his meal in the great hall he made his way quickly to his chambers, hope that she would be there taunting him. He groaned when she was nowhere to be found and made his way to his own private room she'd constructed for him.
He hit his knees in relief when he found her there, asleep in his favorite chair with one of his blankets wrapped around her up to her chin. "Merlin girl, you will be the death of me."
He stroked her hair back from her face when he made it to her side and her eyes fluttered open. She gave him a dreamy smile that was quickly overcome by a concerned look at the last traces of his panic.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was heavy with sleep but she didn't struggle as he gathered her into his arms and pressed his face into her soft blonde hair.
"I was concerned when you did not arrive in the great hall for dinner. You were not in my chambers," he stopped when her fingers began to work through his hair. She turned her face so her lips were pressed against his and kissed him hard.
"I didn't mean to worry you Severus. I'm very sorry, that dream exhausted me and it is taking some time for me to recover. I thought I would come here and sleep and you would be able to find me without having to worry for my safety. No one knows about this room but us," he pulled back to look her in the eye and gave a soft nod.
"I will attempt not to lose myself so quickly next time. You must realize my sweet, I do not think I could go on without you now. Not after knowing your love," she pressed her lips to his again and then lay her forehead against his. Severus couldn't help but to close his eyes and revel in the feeling of her warmth surrounding him.
He'd truly been afraid he'd lost it, and her. He hadn't favored the sensation at all.
The shimmer of a large Patronus soaring into the room broke the two apart and they both stared at the large snake that moved in the air before them.
"Harry says they've found Riddle, thought you'd like to know." Draco's voice met their ears and Luna turned her wide eyes to Severus as he stared at the space the Patronus had occupied.
"Go, take care of this so you can worry no more," she gave him a soft smile, he stared at her for a long moment.
"You're certain?" her nod of confirmation spurred him to stand and he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "I cannot wait to make you my own."
She shook her head, blonde hair swaying around her face as she stared up at him with earnest silver eyes. "I've been yours since the beginning of time. Go, I will be here napping, I promise."